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Patients taking part in trials of new cancer drugs have unrealistic expectations that experimental treatment will save them, a study by the Royal Marsden has found.

Research on more than 300 cancer patients asked about taking part in early-stage research found almost half believed their tumours would shrink, with hopes rising after they discussed the trials with their doctors.

In fact, phase I clinical trials – which are the first experiments on humans following studies on laboratory animals, produce typical cancer response rates of between 4 per cent and 20 per cent. Enrolled patients, who often have advanced disease that is not responding to standard therapy, survive for around six months on average.

The new study examined the expectations of cancer patients considering signing up to take part in trials.

Overall, patients were keen experiment with new drugs, with up to 84 per cent of those taking part in research saying they would be willing to enrol.

'The high percentage of patients expecting their tumours to shrink was a sobering finding'Dr Udai Banerji, from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

But 47 per cent of patients were keen to do so, because they expected the research to shrink tumours, which had often failed to respond to any other treatment.

Lead researcher Dr Udai Banerji, from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: "There is a positive message in this, which is that 84 per cent of patients are willing to participate in Phase I oncology studies after a discussion with clinical and nursing staff who lay out the conservative estimates of benefit and requirements of hospital visits.

The vast majority of patients who took part in the new research were keen to take part in new drug trials Credit:
PA

"This is good for current and future patients and cancer medicine in general."

However, he added: "The high percentage of patients expecting their tumours to shrink was a sobering finding. This creates a challenge for healthcare professionals to manage expectations but to do so without being patronising or dismissing human hope."

The findings, published online in the American Cancer Society journal Cancer, point to the need to improve patient information and consent forms, said the authors.

Phase I trials are designed to assess the potential of new treatments that have never before been tested on humans and tend to focus on safety rather than effectiveness.

The trials start with low doses of a treatment which are increased until a recommended dose for a next stage Phase II trial is established.

Healthcare professionals are duty-bound to ensure that patients are properly informed about the risks and benefits of taking part in a Phase I trial.